Page 2337 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 22 June 1994
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
MR KAINE (2.31): Madam Speaker, in essence, the Opposition has no objection to these two amendments. We understand that the definition of "criminal offence" has been brought forward from section 80, and we understand why that is the case. We have no objection to the preservation of the existing rights of appeal for teachers. In connection with the first amendment, the second part of the definition refers to "an offence against a law of, or of a part of, a foreign country". Perhaps the Chief Minister or the Attorney-General can explain to us why that is necessary. It makes it an offence in the Territory if an offence is committed against the law of not only a foreign country but a part of a foreign country. I can envisage that the State of Ohio in the United States has a law and that an offence committed against that law can become an offence in the Territory. I do not understand why it is needed, and I do not understand how it works. Perhaps the Attorney-General could explain the technical intricacies of that.
MS FOLLETT (Chief Minister and Treasurer) (2.33): To clarify that for Mr Kaine, Madam Speaker, that definition has included reference to a foreign country just in case an officer of our service is serving overseas. They are required to keep the laws of the countries that they are in. I accept that this is drawing a long bow and that it is not terribly likely that we would be sending officers overseas on a regular basis. It is just to pick up that eventuality.
Amendments agreed to.
MR STEVENSON (2.34): I move amendment No. 1 standing in my name, which reads:
1. Page 6, lines 1 and 2, omit the definition of "Service", substitute the following definition: "'Service' means the Australian Capital Territory Public Service established by section 12;".
My amendment would change the proposed name of the public service from "Government Service" back to "Public Service". It simply changes one word, but I think it is a quite important matter. Let us look at the role of the public service. It is to serve the public. If we change the name to "Government Service", one could suggest that its role is to serve the Government. I am sure that that is not the intention of anyone here. It is not the intention of the public service, and it is not the intention of the people of Canberra. If we look at the Bill, on page 7, under "Values and principles", it says:
Government agencies shall have an objective of implementing the following values and principles:
(a) service to the public;
(b) responsiveness to -
(i) the requirements of the government; and
(ii) the needs of the public.
... ... ...
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .